Research Associate

Pay: $25-$30/hour based on experience and qualifications
Hours: 40 hours per week
Timeframe: 12 months with the possibility of renewal
Application deadline: January 11, 2026
Anticipated start date: 02/17/2026
Location: Remote within Maine, with optional weekly meeting in Gardiner

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations is an independent government body tasked with identifying and addressing systemic inequalities impacting racial, Indigenous, and tribal populations in Maine. We are currently seeking a research associate to support our growing team. For more information about the Permanent Commission, visit www.pcritp.me.

Position summary:
The Research Associate will support ongoing research projects at the Permanent Commission that aim to reduce racial disparities in the state and create positive outcomes for historically marginalized racial, Indigenous, and tribal communities. We work in a wide range of topical areas, with anticipated work in the coming year focusing on data ethics, incarceration, housing, food access, and other areas that may become relevant over the course of the year. The person in this position will be responsible for:

• Analyzing public testimony and other sources of qualitative data;
• Assisting with the development of surveys, interview questions, and IRB protocols;
• Conducting literature reviews and compiling reliable resources;
• Drafting evidenced briefing notes and summaries on topical issues;
• Track and organize research materials, datasets, and other resources;
• Supporting data analysis and data visualization; and
• Drafting reports and providing support throughout the publication process.

The full scope of work and specific task assignments will evolve with this position and under the guidance of the Research Specialist.

Our ideal candidate will:

• Have a BA in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
• Have excellent, clear, and concise writing skills.
• Be comfortable working with both qualitative and quantitative data.
• Be able to synthesize source data into concise and useful insights.
• Have knowledge and experience of writing academic/professional quality briefing papers with appropriate citations.
• Be able to fact-check and think critically about the reliability of sources.
• Be able to edit and proof-read documents written by others.
• Have some experience with research methods and research tools (SPSS, nVivo, ArcGIS, etc).
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Be strongly committed to the values and mission of the Permanent Commission of dismantling structural racism in the State of Maine.
• Have foundational understanding of systemic racism, colonialism, and related theories.
• Be highly collaborative and comfortable bringing their own professional and lived experience to our diverse team.

We strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, particularly those from racial, Indigenous, and tribal communities in Maine, and others historically underrepresented in government and non-profit work.

Interested persons should submit a cover letter, resume, short writing sample, and the contact information for two references to Leeann Sullivan, Research Specialist, at leeann.sullivan@maine.gov.

Please Note:
This position will be engaged through a temporary staffing agency and therefore does not include health or leave benefits. A background check may be required by the staffing agency. This position is largely remote, with the option of joining the team in person one day a week (Tuesday) at our office in Gardiner, Maine. The selected candidate must reside in Maine.